Feature Robotics & Motion Control An innovative approach to automation


When a new production line for airbag control sensors was required by TRW Systems, the company turned to Stäubli and its system integration partners, Grohmann and IPTE, to provide the robots required at the heart of the automated sequence of cells


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RW Systems located at Peterlee, County Durham, specialises in automotive safety - manufacturing intelligent systems for leading automotive OEMs that help to keep pas- sengers, drivers and pedestrians safe. TRW at Peterlee has been manufactur- ing airbag control systems for several years using a combination of in-house and outsourced components for the final assembly. Increased demand and an objective of bringing more of the supply chain in-house has generated the need for new investment in a dedicated manu- facturing line. Initially, a manually-based system was considered but when TRW looked into the economics of using multi-axis robots, a decision to fully automate the new line with a combina- tion of four-axis and six-axis robotics provided the best cost benefit solution. The new manufacturing line con- sists of several connected cells each utilising Stäubli robots. The initial operation is to insert a metal bush into the PCB. This process is performed by two TS60 four-axis Scara robots - the first picking up the metal insert and placing into position, and the second pressing the bush securely into place on the PCB. Each board comprises an array of up to 48 sensor units. The boards then pass into the adja- cent cell where the electrical contacts are


cut from an in-feed roll and


inserted into the PCB. After this process the individual sensor compo- nents are separated from the board and


proceed to a vision checking station handled by a TS60. The position of the electrical contacts is extremely critical and needs to be within +/- 0.1mm to ensure correct operation of the sensor. After passing through a heating sta- tion, the sensor components enter the overmoulding cell serviced by two RX160 six-axis robots - chosen by TRW for their reach and speed of oper- ation. The components are arranged into trays of eight and the first opera- tion is to apply a thermoplastic elas- tomer followed by a second overcoating of glass filled nylon. The RX 160s execute the fast demoulding, positioning and placing required, all within the IMM cycle time of just 30 seconds. Each component is then fed by the robots into a final functional testing station which replicates the inertial shock that would be experi-


Above: TRW Peterlee is now recognised in the group as a ‘Super Site’ and is its centre for


manufacturing in Europe


enced in a crash - a response time of just 19 milliseconds for the airbag signal to be emitted is required for the components to pass the test. Failures at this stage are rare - less than 0.1% - a considerable improvement on the pre- vious manual system using outsourced components. The final station applies the labeling and marking on each com- ponent ensuring 100% traceability.


Investing in robotics


This was the first investment in automa- tion using multi-axis robots at TRW Peterlee, and initially there were some concerns about ease of use and the train- ing that could be required. Their fears proved groundless with the operators quickly recognising and embracing fully the benefits of the new system. The new line has been operating 24 hours a day, six days a week for seven months with- out any major problems.


three UK manufacturing sites. The figure exceeds the total of all paint robots installed in the UK, over the last three years, by 151% (based on BARA annual robot statistics).


Paint shop robots boost installed UK base O


nly twelve months after launching two new paint robots, FANUC has supplied 32 P-250i robots into


Driven by the technological demands of coatings such as 2K polycarbonates and the need for consis- tency and quality, FANUC has incorporated many enhancements into the latest robots that increase pro- duction efficiency and reduce paint wastage. The FANUC P-50iB and P-250iB are designed with features that make them well suited for automotive finishes and general industrial use.


S8 The P-50iB has a compact design and still manages


to provide a large working envelope, with 1.4Mtr and 1.8Mtr reach variants. Added to the option of mounting the robot to a wall or a ceiling, the compact design allows booth size, and therefore volume of extracted air, to be kept to a minimum.


With a payload of up to 15kgs the P-50iB allows all types of spray gun, applicator and accessories to be used precisely, with rapid and accurate path con- trol to optimise quality and to reduce overspray. To view the full story visit www.connectingindustry.com/p250i. FANUC www.fanuc.eu T: 0247 663 9669


The new line has the flexibility to accommodate a range of different sensor models - currently 12 variants can be processed and has provided a man- power saving of 12 over a manual system. The ability to manufacture on a strict JIT basis has minimised inventory. With a payback of less than one year, TRW has been impressed by the perfor- mance of the automated line and partic- ularly the Stäubli robots - so much so that they are now planning a second line with the same level of automation. TRW Peterlee is now recognised in the group as a ‘Super Site’ and is its centre for manufacturing in Europe. Stäubli Robotics’ input into the new system eased the path for TRW towards its first adoption of multi-axis robotics and clearly highlighted the benefits that can be readily achieved by the use of these advanced, user friendly machines.


Enter 225


Stäubli www.staubli.com/en/robotics T: 01952 671 917


Enter 230 FEBRUARY 2014 Robotics & Motion Control


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